Handwritten Note
by congressmanmabel
Summary: During the car ride home from the sock opera, Mabel finds a piece of paper on the floor of the vehicle, but is not prepared to read its insidious contents. (Journal 3 Spoilers)
1. Chapter 1

The car ride home from the theater was silent.

Stan broke the speed limit trying to get home so he could tend to his nephew's wounds. Even though he got a thrill filming the twins fight on stage (wanting to make some extra dough with the footage), he was filled with remorse upon seeing his distressed niece and overly exhaustive nephew. There were visible cuts on Dipper's face, which greatly startled the old man. Stan knew he had to hightail it back home so he could remedy the boy's injuries. When he asked the kids what was wrong, their faces were so distraught that he dropped it right away. He didn't want to make the kids any more anxious by prying them, so he kept his mouth shut.

Dipper was out like a light once he was buckled boy normally didn't sleep in the car, but he was so sleep-deprived that he needed to give his body the satisfaction of rest. For the past few days, he avoided sleep due to his desire to figure out the password to the laptop and getting access to all of the information shrouded away in the old device. He was even tempted twice by Bill Cipher, who promised to hack into the computer in exchange for a small 'favor'. But when the computer threatened to self-destruct, Dipper put his suspicions aside in favor of Cipher's enticing offer. Unfortunately, the demon possessed Dipper's body and proceeded to do considerable damage on the boy's physical form, such as tumbling down the stairs and stabbing his arm with forks. Dipper mentally smacked himself for making the deal in spite of his wariness of the creature. Bill shoved the boy's spirit into the mindscape, who gazed in horror at the demon gleefully inflicting pain on his own body. The twelve-year-old was left to wander helplessly until he was able to find a vessel, which came in the form of a sock puppet version of himself. Dipper was able to inform Mabel of what went on, and she was able to tickle Bill into defeat, who was already suffering from the physical exhaustion that came from the boy's body. When Dipper was able to return to his own body, he felt a wave of excruciating pain with his physical soreness and restlessness. After giving Bill the final blow, in a literal sense through the pyrotechnics on stage, Dipper stumbled his way to exit alone until he was assisted by Mabel. He had a bad time sleeping over the past couple weeks due to his experiences with the shape-shifter and Bill Cipher, but he fought against those fears and he felt that he owed his body a giant favor and dozed himself into repose.

Mabel, on the other hand, was consumed with apprehension and guilt for ditching her brother. She tightly clutched the journal, regretting how she took it without Dipper's permission. Her knee bounced up and down while she mentally berated herself for the whole fiasco. _This is all my fault. I shouldn't have been obsessed over that dumb puppet show for that dumb guy. Dipper needed my help and I didn't even listen to him._ Even though Mabel apologized to her brother, she still felt terrible for what happened. The poor girl needed to temporarily distract herself from the negative emotions that took control.

Out of the corner of her eye, she discovered a small folded piece of paper that was illuminated by the passing streetlight. Now feeling curious, Mabel bent down and retrieved the small paper from the car floor. There was a small note written in black ink, but she was unable to decipher it since it was night and there was not source of light inside the car. Mabel needed to be inside the Shack to read the note. So she covertly shoved the folded paper inside the arm of her sweater.

* * *

As Grunkle Stan fixed up Dipper's injuries, Mabel put the journal back on her brother's nightstand and went to the bathroom. She locked herself inside and sat down on the carpeted rug. She took the note out of her sweater and began to read its contents. Right away there was something insidious with the message as it was written in black ink and with a messy handwriting that was unfamiliar to her. Mabel was unprepared of the terror that laid in the letter:

 ** _NoTE to se l f: Posse ss ing peopl e is hi l ar i ous ! To think of all the sensati ons I've been mi ss ing ou t on - bu r ning, stab b ing, dr ow ning. It's like a buffet tra y of fun! Once I destroy that journal I'll enjoy giving this body its grand finale - by thro w in g it off the water to w er! Best of all, people w ill just think Pine Tree lost his mind, and hi s mental form will wand er in the mindscape forev er . W an t to join him, Sh oo ting St a r?_**

Tears silently fell down Mabel's face while she gaped at the disturbing note. She began to feel disoriented from reading the morbid details Bill elaborated on. Her face twisted in shock upon learning that the dream demon put his brother though various forms of physical pain. And yet, Bill believed that possessing others and severely hurting them was some kind of joke. Worst of all, that monster was planning on murdering her brother and framing it as a suicide.

Mabel's guilt and self-loathing resurged. She felt terrible for not figuring out that something was off with her brother. Heck, Mabel herself was once inside Dipper's body during the carpet incident! But this was on a completely different level as her brother's life was at risk. She believed that if she had continued to ignore Dipper, Bill would have killed him and it would have been her fault.

 _You stupid, idiot jerk!_ Mabel chided herself. _You were too distracted by some weird guy who had a thing for puppets and took advantage of your brother! He could have died!_

Despite her brother forgiving her, she was unable to forgive herself for what she had done.

Hot tears blinded her vision. Mabel pulled her sweater over her in order to stifle the sobs that escaped. She tried to find some solace in Sweater-Town, but the terrible thoughts that waved through her mind had followed her there, seething at her for her recent transgressions. Mabel decided that if she wanted to eliminate these thoughts, she needed to do something for her brother to emphasize how important he is to her.

 _I need to make it up for Dipper somehow..._

Brainstorming for an idea, she decided on treating Dipper to some ice cream sandwiches for the next week. Sure it was a small gesture, but she hoped that it would make her brother happy.

But the hopeful thought was shoved to the side when she returned to the horrible message that upset her to begin with. Mabel mused over who she should show the creepy message to. Mabel automatically crossed out Grunkle Stan off that list. She couldn't let him know of what happened. The gruff but loving caretaker would notice her plight right away and he wouldn't rest until he figured out what was wrong with her. He couldn't know of her and Dipper's terrible encounter with Bill. Even if he was aware of the supernatural occurrences in Gravity Falls, she believed that he would never understand what they went through.

She had to inform Dipper though. There was no way she would let something this catastrophic slide under the rug. Her twin would have to figure out Bill's menacing plot eventually. Nothing this traumatic would forgotten in an instant. But Mabel couldn't tell him tonight, not while the boy was still exhausted. The last thing she wanted was to give her brother another reason to stay awake at night. She decided to let Dipper know of Bill's sinister plot after he received a well-deserved night's slumber.

After quelling her sobs for about half an hour, Mabel returned from Sweater-Town and slipped the note back into her sweater. She took some toilet paper and wiped away the excess tears and snot from her face. When she exited the bathroom, Mabel quietly tip-toed to her and Dipper's bedroom. She opened the door to find the room empty. Not one to waste time, she immediately changed from her day clothes to her floppy disc PJs. Mabel hid the note under her pillow and closed her eyes, pretending to be asleep. She stayed that way for about ten minutes when she heard the door silently open.

Mabel listened to quiet shuffling of fuzzy slipper against the hardwood floor. From the gruff grunting, She figured that Grunkle Stan had healed Dipper and was putting the boy to bed. The sound of a calloused hand tussling soft hair as well her Grunkle mumbling 'sleep well kiddo'. The straggling sound moved closer to Mabel. She still had her eyes shut, even when Stan ruffled his hand through her the top of her head and wished her a good night. Mabel heard her Grunkle leave the bedroom and the quiet creaking of the door closing.

Opening her eyes, Mabel looked over to her right and saw her brother peacefully resting. The girl gave a small smile at the sight of her twin getting his much-needed sleep. She and her brother knew that Grunkle Stan was comically frugal when it came to spending money, remembering how he refused to see an eye doctor after having his eyes burnt from seeing a rainbow. But Mabel had to commend him for his medical expertise now that Dipper was well taken care of. She was content to learn that her brother was on the mend.

Mabel immediately grabbed the journal from the nightstand and placed it on her bed. The girl was Dipper's go-to person for any extra information on the crazy supernatural creatures or anecdotes, and she was more than happy to oblige. Many pages she wrote were mostly light-hearted and humorous stories that balanced out Dipper's more serious entries (though he did throw in some jokes and silly anecdotes in there as well). She grabbed the red flashlight and draped the comforter over herself. Turning the flashlight on, Mabel opened up to the Lilputtian entry. She flipped the documentation over to find two blank pages. She retrieved her pink thin marker and box of crayons and went straight to work. It pained her to draw Bipper, especially filling in the dream demon's visage. She shuddered at remembering those sinister yellow glowing orbs and two black slits that replaced her brother's bright brown eyes. The poor girl recounted back to when Bipper hoisted Mabel up over the stage in the makeshift wedding cake and gazing into Bill's terrifying stare and menacing grin. However, Mabel forced herself to draw Bipper for the sake of providing essential information when they need it.

After completing her sketch, she decided to tape the horrific note on the other page. Mabel took a deep breath before uncapping her pink marker. She had to fill her brother in on Bill's villainous schemes and, more importantly, she had to apologize to him in her own words and how she would make it up to him. Mabel began to fill the pages with her own notations. It took about an hour to complete her documentation. Upon finishing her notes she turned the flashlight off, deposited the crayons back into the crayon box, put the Journal on the nightstand. Lastly, she placed her pink marker on top of the book.

Mabel looked back to her snoozing brother with a concerned expression on her face. After all of the craziness that went on this week, she couldn't leave her brother alone anymore. She had to be the big sister he needed. His rock, the person he can count on when things got out of hand. Mabel felt obligated to fulfill her sisterly duty.

So Mabel softly shuffled out of her bed and made her way towards her sleeping brother without waking him up. Even though Dipper was in a deep state of rest, she didn't want to startle him. Mabel stealthily crept into his bed, squirming into a somewhat comfortable position. She gently wrapped her arms around Dipper, securing her brother in a defensive and loving embrace. Seconds later, Mabel felt extra weight on the mattress as Waddles made his presence known. The girl smiled at the notion of her pet pig who chose to comfort Dipper as well by settling on the foot of the bed, keeping a vigilant eye on the twins.

"Good night Dipper." Mabel whispered. She closed her eyes and surrendered herself to sleep.

Dipper awoke the next morning, immediately feeling two arms loosely wrapped around his frame in a protective hold. He didn't need to prop himself from his sleeping position to realize that it was Mabel.

He remembered when their younger years, whenever one of them was feeling down or had a nightmare, they would have little 'sleepovers' by sharing the same mattress. Dipper assumed that Mabel must have felt scared for him that she needed the guarantee that he would be okay by sleeping by his side. He couldn't blame her; he, too, was terrified by their most recent ordeal with Bill Cipher. So her presence was more than welcome.

Dipper also noticed that there was a heavy snoring sound upon his bed. He carefully looked to see Waddles peacefully resting on the foot of his mattress. Seems like the pet pig also wanted to make sure that Dipper would sleep safe and sound.

The boy smiled to himself as he closed his eyes. Within a matter of minutes, he drifted off to another round of sleep.

* * *

"Hey there sleeping beauty."

Dipper's eyes shot open. He propped himself on the bed to find his Grunkle dressed in his night shirt and boxers, casually leaning against the doorframe. Stan gave his nephew an amused smile while the boy stretched out his arms. The bed shook as Waddles approached the twelve-year-old.

"Good morning Grunkle Stan." Dipper greeted contentedly as he scratched the pig behind his ears.

"Morning? It's past 12:30 kiddo."

The boy looked over at the alarm clock and realized that his caretaker was right. "Oh." Dipper said. If his math was correct, he had slept for a total of fourteen hours. "Today's Saturday, right?"

"Yeah it is. But don't worry, it's not like you've slept for thirty years and woke up in a post-apocalyptic future or somethin'." Stan joked.

"Well that's good." Dipper snickered. He noticed that Waddles jumped off the bed, squealing with joy as the pet greeted Stan. The old codger was uncomfortable with Waddles licking his bare legs and pressing his nose against his feet.

"No! Get away from me, pig!" Stan shouted. Waddles was unperturbed with the conman's commands as he continued to circle around him. The desperate man looked up at his nephew with pleading eyes.

"Aren't you gonna help me out!?"

"Sorry Grunkle Stan, can't help you out on this one." Dipper teased. "You're on your own."

Stan let out a distressed groan before exiting the room, with Waddles eagerly chasing him. Dipper chuckled at the scene. After his laughter died down, he glanced over towards his nightstand and noticed Mabel's thin pink marker that laid on top of the journal.

 _Mabel must have made some new additions._ He thought as he picked up the red book.

The day after the convenient store incident, Dipper realized that Mabel made her own entry in the journal since she forgot the combination to her own diary. Normally he would have been peeved that his sister was messing with his things, but he was so amused by her notes on her Smile Dip trip and the companion illustrations that Dipper decided to let Mabel make her own additions on their next adventure. Dipper truly enjoyed Mabel's notations and illustrations, so he was excited to see what Mabel jotted down.

He opened up to the recent page to find the creepy image of Bipper. Dipper slammed the journal shut from fear. After moments of self-composure, he urged himself to press further with reading the latest account. He reminded himself that they defeated Bill and things, for the most part, were okay. Dipper slowly opened up the journal to the newest page, his eyes scanning the contents his sister jotted down from their encounter. Mabel made some very articulate observations on Bill's possession, such as the physical impact it had on Dipper and the way he acted. Although Dipper gave a sour frown at the note that Bill gave Dipper's form better posture than he himself did. Overall, Dipper was incredibly impressed with his sister's documentations.

The boy glanced over to the next page, where there was a messy message taped on. Dipper read Mabel's warning sentence that was written above the paper.

 _CREEPIEST OF ALL, when Stan was driving us back home, I found THIS handwritten note on the floor in the car._

He took her warning seriously before moving his eyes downwards. Dipper cringed in fear as he read the ominous note. Worst of all, the triangular beast had the audacity to trouble Mabel with his attempt to lure her into his would-be scheme. The boy grew worried for his sister as flickering images of her reaction to the awful note rushed through his mind and plaguing his thoughts. Dipper already hated Bill with every fiber of his being, but the disturbing message only added fuel to the pyre of contempt.

 _That monster is going to pay for scaring Mabel._

The boy put those vexing thoughts aside when he noticed the last two paragraphs Mabel composed below the note:

 _I feel like a real jerk after all this. I totally ignored Dipper's warnings, I took his journal without asking, and worst of all, I was so obsessed with my play I didn't even notice Dipper was possessed! And I of all people should know - I possessed Dipper's body once, too (Hope I never see that swap carpet again)._

Dipper chuckled at Mabel's quip in the last sentence. She truly knew how to cheer him up when things seem rough. He continued to read the rest of her note. He already forgave Mabel and he would forgive her again the next time he sees her.

 _Dipper, whenever you read this, I want you to know I'm sorry. And for the next week, IOU ice cream sandwiches, on me._

 _Love -Mabel._

The boy felt a wide smile stretch across his face. Dipper considered Mabel to be his moral compass, guiding him on the right path. He loved her more than anything, and it boosted his self-esteem to learn that she returned his familial affections.

There a sudden knocking on the door. Dipper was slightly startled, but was relieved to know that it was only Mabel. His twin looked dismayed when she saw the open journal on his lap as she knew that he was reading the latest pages.

Mabel nervously bit down on her lip before speaking. "Listen Dipper, I-"

"I forgive you Mabel." Dipper softly interrupted as he got himself out of bed. He opened his arms out for her. "Come here…"

Mabel ran into his arms, crashing into him with her protective bear hug. They stayed in that position for minutes, not speaking a single word for they knew how their twin felt. Yesterday's debacle with the demon and the play took a toll on both of them, but they managed to overpower their adversary and come out on top. Even if Bill threatened to return once again, the Pines twins were positive that they would fight back. They beat him twice now and they were certain that they'll beat him a third time. But right now, they needed to focus on recovering and moving forward, which was a lot easier since they were together. They were they Mystery Twins after all. The siblings also have a number of friends and family who had their backs and would give extra support.

But for now, Dipper and Mabel were truly glad to have each other.


	2. Chapter 2

It was a quiet evening for Stanford Pines. The paranormal researcher needed a moment to himself after the whole _Dungeons, Dungeons, and More Dungeons_ debacle. Despite his family inviting him to watch the season finale of _Ducktective_ with them, Ford insisted that he needed to complete some 'studying' downstairs.

The scientist situated himself in the bedroom, sitting comfortably on the lavender couch with Journal 3 in hand. During the epic brawl with Probabilitor the Annoying and his cronies, Ford was impressed by his family's powerful abilities during the battle. Stan, being the expert con artist and world class gambler he was, cheated his way to victory. Mabel was able to utilize her extraordinary imagination to conjure up powerful weapons for him and Dipper to defeat their adversaries with. Finally, he was most impressed by his nephew Dipper. The paranormal researcher was astounded by the boy's display of bravery, cleverness, and determination on the board game's battlefield. Even at the tender age of twelve, his nephew was already a pro _DD and More D_ player, which Ford was pleasantly surprised by. So the investigator took it upon himself to read the entries Dipper had written.

Ford mentally kicked himself for being quick to dismiss the boy's documentations on the journal as nothing more than a personal diary for venting angst. Instead, the investigator was floored by Dipper's notes and passages on the different monsters he faced. This summer alone, he went up against different adversaries, managed to capture the menacing Gremoblin, and even triumphed over Bill Cipher in Stanley's mindscape. Ford was truly impressed by all of the adventures Dipper and Mabel went on and their achievements. He eagerly read through Dipper's additions to the Journals, which were very informative and interesting. Mabel even made her own notations and colorful illustrations and despite her passages being silly for the most part, they succeeded in making Ford smile.

Ford completed the passage on the Lilputtians who resided at the local mini-golf place. He was completely unaware of their existence and was glad to read his nephew's excerpt on them. As he turned the page, his stomach dropped upon seeing the black and yellow illustration.

It was a drawing of Dipper possessed by Bill, who Mabel nicknamed Bipper. The physical differences were ghastly; with Bill's golden eyeballs and black slits for pupils as well as showcasing his teeth and gums. Ford felt his hands trembling, lightly shaking the journal. The elderly scientist already despised the dream demon for tricking him into creating the portal and for doing considerable damage on his mind and body whenever the triangle possessed him. Ford was going to make that monstrosity pay for hurting his nephew and taking advantage of Ford took a deep breath and continued to read the notations anyhow.

Glancing over to the next page, Ford saw a sloppily written note taped on. As he examined the letter, he felt his stomach drop. Bill used Dipper's body as some kind of play thing, putting the boy's physical form through many different types of pain. Worse yet, the demon was planning on killing Dipper and shaping it as a suicide. The demon even offered to to possess Mabel's body so he could do the same thing to her. His hand formed a tight fist while he read the insidious details in the note. If Ford was able to get his hands on that dream beast, he was going to snap its nonexistent neck within a second!

Even though Bill addressed Dipper and Mabel as 'Pine Tree' and 'Shooting Star', it wasn't hard for Ford to decipher that he was referring to the niblings. Ford was well aware of the symbols on the zodiac wheel and was shocked to learn that Dipper and Mabel wore two of the specific emblems. Perhaps they held some special power that would help eradicate Bill Cipher for good.

A tear escaped his right eye, but Ford roughly wiped it away. He blamed himself for allowing this to happen to his beloved niblings. _If only I didn't summon that creature in the first place. Stanford angrily pondered. My niece and nephew would have never endured something so traumatic and terrifying._ If Ford were to tell Dipper of his previous affiliation with the dream demon, even going back to when he referred to the monster as his 'friend' and 'muse', the scientist believed that his nephew would never forgive him for what he had done. And who could blame the boy, Ford couldn't even forgive himself for his past folly. The paranormal researcher considered Dipper to be an ally and a friend. The boy was the first person in a long time whom Ford was able to place his trust in, and it would pain the old investigator if his nephew lost faith in him.

The tears kept on flowing, but Ford was too tired to try and fight them off. He was alone in his bedroom, so it wasn't like Stan or the kids would burst through his door. He couldn't let them see him in wallowing in this pathetic state. Ford took off his tan colored trench coat and laid down on the purple sofa, covering the upper half of his body with his wearable shield. He buried his head in the crook of his arm and cried himself to sleep.

* * *

The next day, Ford walked upstairs and approached the living room where found Dipper happily reading his Sibling Bros. novel. The boy was deeply invested in the story as his eyes were glued to the pages of the book. Ford almost couldn't bring himself to walk any closer towards his nephew. He inadvertently put Dipper through so much pain and suffering. The paranormal investigator felt as though he didn't deserve to be in the same room as his clever and courageous nephew.

However, Dipper noticed Ford's presence and greeted him. "Good morning great uncle Ford!"

Ford looked up to see his boy kindly smiling at him. The scientist was consumed with nervousness and dread. How could he even talk to him after discovering that Bill had tormented Dipper in the worst way possible? He opened his mouth to speak with his nephew, but was unable utter a single word due to his anxiety.

Dipper immediately took notice of his relative's distress and got up from the armchair. "What's wrong?"

The old scientist didn't respond to his nephew's gentle inquiry. He believed that if he told Dipper about reading the most recent entry on Bill Cipher as well as his previous affiliation with the demon, his boy would lose his trust in his great uncle and would only see him as a fool. Instead of giving Dipper a verbal answer, he rushed towards his nephew and enveloped him in a protective embrace. Ford held onto his boy for dear life, afraid that Bill would somehow whisk him away from his grasp.

Dipper didn't know how to react to his great uncle's sudden gesture. Ford didn't seem like the kind of person who was all touchy-feely when it came to displaying affection. Throughout the summer, Dipper imagined the author of the journals to be this larger-than-life superhuman who, to a certain extent, fearlessly conducted his investigations. But upon seeing how dismayed and worried his great uncle Ford was, Dipper realized that the man he looked up to for so long was only human. And Dipper was completely okay with that.

The boy gently returned the hug by wrapping his arms around Ford's large frame. "If you don't want to talk about it now, I understand." Dipper whispered. "But when you're ready, you'll have me, Mabel, Stan and even Soos to confide with."

This curious twelve-year-old boy was not mocking him, but was comforting him by soothing his pain away through tender words and felt two tears roll down his cheeks. He couldn't let his nephew see him like this, as a weak old man. He took off his glasses and buried his head in Dipper's vest, attempting to dry his eyes. Ford, however, was stunned when he felt a small hand softly patting his back in consolation. It had been so long since the researcher received any form of physical compassion. It was at this moment he realized how truly blessed he was to have a relative this loving and understanding.

"Dipper! I need your help with something!"

Both Ford and Dipper broke from their hug upon hearing the youthful call. Ford hastily slapped his glasses back on his face before Dipper had a look at him. It was only seconds later that Mabel and Waddles arrived in the living room. The gregarious girl was holding two of her famous sweaters. But upon seeing the downtrodden expressions on their faces, her smile vanished as she dropped the articles of clothing onto the carpeted floor.

"Is everything okay guys?" She softly inquired, her voice melting with concern for her brother and newly acquired Grunkle.

Ford was admittedly startled by his niece's appearance. However, he was touched to learn that she deeply cared about her family, wanting to ensure that they were alright. The researcher stretched out his right arm, inviting Mabel to join the hug.

"Come here sweetheart." He gently called to her.

Mabel did not hesitate to respond as she tightly embraced her Grunkle. Mabel didn't press the issue further, but instead clung herself onto the old researcher. Waddles followed his owner and gently nudged against the old man. Dipper went back to hugging his great uncle, wrapping his arm under the man's trench coat and softly rubbing his back in small circles. Ford was touched that his niece and nephew provided him with physical comfort. The scientist held his niblings close in his protective hold. Ford would not allow Bill to take the young twins away from him. If that demon came back to deliver his wrath on the younger twins, the monster was going to have to fight against Ford, and he was more than willing to inflict pain on the beastly creature.

"You're gonna be okay Grunkle Ford." Mabel said. Ford broke from his musings as he heard his niece speak to him. "No matter how bad things get, you'll always have us." She soothed.

Ford took her words seriously as he held the niblings tighter. "Yes...yes I do."


End file.
